National park fees could rise for some visitors | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

There’s a reason summer tends to be a popular time to travel in the U.S.

For one thing, it’s nice to explore the country at a time when the weather is more cooperative.

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There are certain roads that virtually close down to visitors when winter weather hits. And while you can’t discount the possibility of severe rainstorms during the summer, many of those are, thankfully, short-lived. With a snowstorm, parts of the U.S. could be inaccessible for days.

Plus, life just has a way of being less busy during the summer.

School takes a break, work tends to slow down, and there are no major holidays to contend with other than July 4th. And even that tends to be pretty low stress — think casual barbecues, as opposed to the elaborate meals many of us are pressed into whipping up for Thanksgiving.

National park fees could rise for some visitors.

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National parks are a major summertime destination

Just as U.S. travel in general tends to be popular during the summer, so too are the country’s national parks a great summer destination.

A good number of national parks are situated at higher elevations. Even in the summer, temperatures can struggle to get above the 50s during the day, which makes visiting during other seasons less ideal.

And let’s face it — would you rather be exploring a lengthy hiking trail when it’s 23 degrees outside, or when it’s relatively warm?

The problem with national parks, though, is that they tend to get crowded – during the summer and in general. The leisurely strolls you might envision could, in reality, have you battling crowds instead.

And do remember that national parks have limited parking spaces. If a given park fills up, you may have to wait until spots open up to be let in.

Some of the more popular national parks also require reservations these days. These include:

Acadia
Glacier
Rocky Mountain
Shenandoah
Zion

It’s a good idea to read up on your national park destination before hitting the road to avoid unwanted surprises.

Some visitors may be looking at higher national park fees

Not all national parks charge a fee to get in. But many charge a per-vehicle fee for entrance.

The purpose of the fees is multifold.

First, entrance fees are used to maintain national parks, pay the salaries of the employees who help keep them running, and make certain amenities available.

When you’re in the middle of a day of hiking, it’s nice to be able to hit the restroom as needed, as opposed to having to squat in the middle of the woods and hope for the best. Your fee dollars help keep those facilities open.

Also, fees can help with crowd control. There tends to be a lot of demand for certain national parks during the summer in particular, so charging fees helps limit visitors to some degree.

But some visitors may soon be looking at higher national park fees, thanks to a proposal by the Trump administration calling for a surcharge for foreign visitors.

The change, if it goes through, is estimated to generate more than $90 million, all of which could go back into the parks system.

National park entrance fees help pay for everything “from trail repairs and educational programs to law enforcement and visitor services,” Emily Douce, deputy vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a statement.

An estimated 14.6 million international travelers to the U.S. visited a national park in 2024. And more than 330 million people visited a national park last year in total.

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At a time when the National Park Service is facing more than $1 billion in cuts, the extra revenue sounds nice. But if international visitors are turned off by the excess fees (assuming they’re approved), the parks system may not get that crucial funding.

On the plus side, those surcharges may help minimize crowds, so there’s a silver lining.